Oil Tank Leaking? What to Do Right Now

From the Alcus family · Alcus Fuel Oil & Sons, Amityville · Updated November 1, 2026

Found oil under your tank, a wet spot on the floor, or a strong oil smell in the basement? Here's what to do right now, and who to call.

Do this right now

1. Strong smell or fire risk? Stop using anything near the tank. No smoking, no flames, and don't switch on tools or heaters near the oil. If there is a fire, get everyone out and call 911.
2. Contain small drips. Put cat litter, sand, or rags under the drip and around the spot to soak up the oil. A pan under a slow drip helps.
3. Don't hose it away. Never wash oil into a floor drain, sump, storm drain or the ground. That spreads it and can make the cleanup much bigger.
4. Call us at 631-264-8800. Our line is answered 24/7. We'll stop your deliveries and arrange to look at the tank. We don't do spill cleanup, but we can tell you what we see and talk about replacing the tank.
5. Call your insurance company. Do it early. Ask what your policy covers and whether they want photos.

Reporting a spill in New York

The NYS DEC Spill Hotline is 1-800-457-7362, open 24 hours. The hotline is for reporting; it doesn't send a cleanup crew to your house.

NYS DEC says all petroleum spills must be reported to the hotline within 2 hours of discovery, except a spill that meets all four of these:

• it is less than 5 gallons;
• it is contained and under the control of the spiller;
• it has not reached and will not reach water or any land (dirt or gravel counts as land; pavement doesn't);
• it is cleaned up within 2 hours of discovery.

The NYS Department of Health goes further and says to report any fuel oil spill, no matter how small, and to always notify your oil delivery company and your insurance company.

Under New York's Navigation Law, the tank owner is usually treated as the "discharger" and is strictly liable for cleanup, even when nobody did anything wrong. That's why it pays to act quickly and to call your insurer the same day.

Common causes of a leaking tank

• Rust from the inside. Water and sludge at the bottom of a tank corrode it over the years. See water and sludge in an oil tank.
• Outdoor tanks. Weather, a shifting base and rust are harder on outdoor tanks: outdoor oil tanks in winter.
• Fittings, the filter or the oil line. Not every drip is the tank itself. A loose fitting or a worn line can drip too.

Only smell oil, with no wet spot? Read oil smell after a delivery first.

Spill rules from NYS DEC and NYS DOH, last reviewed November 1, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.

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